/hand"owt'/ , n. Informal.
1. a portion of food or the like given to a needy person, as a beggar.
2. See press release .
3. any printed, typed, mimeographed, or photocopied copy of information, as a speech, policy statement, or fact sheet given to reporters, attendees at a meeting, or the like.
4. anything given away for nothing, as a free sample of a product by an advertiser.
[ 1825-35; 1940-45 for def. 2; n. use of v. phrase hand out ]